The border crossing Chiang Khong – Huay Xai changed in December 2013. A lot of information in guides and websites is not up-to-date, so here there is some information about the border crossing based on my trip in Dec 2014.
Update 2016: post updated with the feedback that Dave and Josefine wrote in the comments. Thanks a lot for taking the time to share your experience with us!
Border crossing: before/ now
Before: by ferry. The ferry left from nearby the center of Chiang Khong (which is a really small town), and most of the guesthouses were located within 1 – 2km from the ferry point.
Now: the bridge. The ferry is still working but only Thai and Lao can use it. All the others must use the new border crossing through the friendship bridge which is located about 11 km from the center of Chiang Khong.
From Chiang Rai
It is no longer necessary to reach Chiang Khong to go to the border. The bus from Chiang Rai drops you 5km before the town, at the junction. From there, you can get a tuk tuk or walk to the border (4km approx).
- Bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong: 65 baht, 2 hours and a half (frequent, every hour or so)
- Tuk tuk from the junction to the border: 50 baht per person, even though they might try to charge more.
- Update 2016: the bus from Chiang Rai (6am) goes all the way to the border now for 65 bhat.
From Chiang Khong
If you end up in Chiang Khong (because you did not know about the new crossing, or because you wanted to visit the city): there is almost no information there. No tourist office, no tour operators. Most people do not speak English (even in the guesthouses) and there are not a lot of tourists. Most people told me the only way to get to the border was by taxi (100 to 150 baht).
There is another way: get the bus to Chiang Rai, it will drop you at the junction. From there you can catch a tuk tuk or walk (4km approx).
- Bus from Chiang Khong to the junction: 10 baht (frequent, every hour or so).
- Bus stop: the stop is nearby the 7 eleven, on the other side of the main street, next to the market.
- Tuk tuk from the junction to the border: 50 baht per person, even though they might try to charge more.
Crossing the bridge
After you have gone through Thai immigration, you must get a bus ticket to cross the bridge from Thailand to Laos.
- Bus to cross the bridge: 20 baht, every 30 min approx
Entering Laos
Money
Just on arrival there is an exchange office and an ATM.
Immigration
- If you already have a visa: proceed to immigration.
- If you need visa on arrival:
- fill the form
- go to the right queue, where you hand in the passport, the form and a photo.
- go to the left queue to pay and get back your passport (tip: it is cheaper to pay in dollars than in baht or kips)
- proceed to immigration.
Onwards
There are fast and slow boats to Luang Prabang: take a tuk tuk to the boat station.
There are daily buses to Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Vientiane. To go to the bus station (outside Huay Xai) take a tuk tuk.
- Tuk tuk to boat or bus station: 100 baht per person.
- Attention: most scheduled buses leave in the morning. I heard about a bus to Luang Namtha in the afternoon but I do not know if it runs daily.
- Update January 2016: the tuk tuk to the boat dock costs 25000 kip, and the boat tickets to Luang Prabang 220000 kip.
Have a good trip!
Would you like to read more? These are the posts I wrote bout Laos:
Luang Namtha – Muang Khoa – Muang Ngoi – Huay Bo – Luang Prabang – Vientiane – Vat Phou (Champasak) – 4000 islands
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I’m very impressed with the information you give: every scenario considered, all detailed descriptions – incredible! Great stuff!
Thank you!
I spent an afternoon to figure out all that, when I found myself stuck in Chiang Khong.
I hope it will help 🙂
tuk tuk sounds a horse cart for me 🙂 what is it?
it is what you call a rickshaw 🙂
Wow such an informative post Laia and great information for travellers! Wishing you a very happy New Year and look forward to reading about your upcoming adventures in 2015!
Thank you! Happy new year to you too!! 🙂
Hi,
Do you know if is it possible to rent a car in Thailand to go to Laos through the new bridge ?
Sorry for my bad english.
Thanks
Hi,
Sorry, I was traveling by bus and I did not meet anyone traveling by rented car, so I do not know.
Hey! Thanks so much for all of this information! As you mentioned before, most of the information on other sites are 2-3 years out of date. I’m headed to Laos tomorrow so this helps a lot.
Happy travels!
I’m happy it helps! Happy travels, enjoy Laos!
Thanks a lot for taking the trouble to write on your experience My guide book’s about 2-3 years old and would have wasted a lot of time there where I will be going probably in the next few months crossing from Huay Xai (Laos) to Chiang Khong (Thailand).
You think there’s any problem?
howling
Hi! No, I don’t think there will be any problem. The bridge was opened recently so I don’t think the crossing will change again. You can either take independent transport as I did, or take a direct ticket from Laos to Thailand (to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai, for example). You can ask around a few days before crossing, to your accommodation and other travelers. Good luck and have a nice trip!
Thank you so much for posting the updated information- it has been so hard to find online.
My husband and I are traveling to Laos in March and are flying to huay xai for the gibbon experience. Due to the lack of flights on the way back we are considering taking the bus to luang probang or vientiane. Did you take either one?
Hello Melissa,
I saw in the bus station that there were daily buses from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, but I didn’t take them since I went to Luang Namtha which is in another direction. There are also fast and slow boats from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, and in Luang Prabang there are several bus options to Vientiane, so you should be able to find something. Just plan an extra day or two, to be sure you have enough time, transport in Laos is slow and not always reliable.
Hi Laia,
Thank you so much for all the information, it helps me a lot in two days im heading to Chiang kong for my first ever attempt to accross the border to Laos. I am a bit worry and scared because i have a bad experience one year ago dealing with immigration back in my country Which is philipines. I am a victim of an eligal recruitments agency. I have an offload records that is Why it is very hard for me to go out my country. But i didnt give up.. I try my luck again and finally last nov 12,2015. The day that i will never forgot the philipines immigration granted me to go out the country with the help of my boyfriend. Hé stand behind me through everything what ive been through. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for the information it helped me alot, and wish you the best. ?
Welcome! I’m happy you found it useful. Have a very nice trip! 🙂
I have just completed this route so thank you for this comprehensive guide which made the process a lot easier.
As a brief update, the bus from Chiang Rai (6am) took us all the way to the border for 100 Baht, so similar price but one less tuk tuk required.
When in Laos, the price to take us to the dock was 25000Kip per person.
The boat tickets were still 220k Kip but we had to buy separate tickets to (a) Pakbeng and then (b) Luang Prabang (from Pakbeng)
The going rate for accommodation in Pakbeng is 40-50k Kip per person per night.
The boat still drops 10km outside of Luang Prabang, however it is a fixed price of 20k Kip per head to a central point (night market location).
Overall, very straightforward to complete without a package.
Hello Dave,
I’m happy my post helped you cross the border from Thailand to Laos.
And… thanks so so much for taking the time to give me your feedback and the updates on the crossing! I’ll update my post with the information you have provided.
I wish the best for your trip, enjoy Laos 🙂
which bus do you need to take from Chiang Rai to the border?
I want to do it but I don’t find any information.
I don’t know if it has a number… but you can ask in any guesthouse in Chiang Rai, or directly at the bus station, I don’t think it’s difficult to find.
Have a good trip!
Hello Laia! Thank you for your updated post about crossing the border, it will help us a lot when we travel from chiang mai to luang prabang.
Do you think it’s easier to get visa before hand or is the visa on arrival easy to get? And I was wondering if you need to have a photo ready by yourself for the border or if you can take a photo at the border?
The answers and post is much appreciate, thank you
Hello Josefine!
When I crossed from Thailand to Laos it was very easy to get the visa on arrival, no problem, you just need to fill a form. Just check if the visa on arrival is available for your country and have the money ready in dollars (it’s not the same price for all nationalities).
As for the photo, I think it’s better if you have a photo, I cannot remember if there was any place to get the photo done at the border. If you don’t have any, I’m sure you can do it in Chiang Mai.
Hope that helps, and have a great trip!
Hello Laia!
The trip went really well to as well as over the bridge and we are now in Laos. I just wanted to update that the bus to Chiang Khong from Chiang Rai that stops at the junction now cost 65 Bath per person.
Thank you for your informative post and respond
Thanks a lot Josefine for the update! I’ll update the post with your input 🙂
Have a great time in Laos!